In 349 Coventry appearances Dermody hit the net 159 times, a goals-per-game ratio that any striker would be proud of let alone a midfield player.
“Helen’s a fantastic signing for us,” said McNamara. “There was a lot of interest in her from other clubs, so to bring her to Wolves is a real coup. The day she told me she was going to sign I was absolutely delighted.
“She’s not just a top player but a fantastic person too. She’s got a truly professional approach to her football, very demanding in training as well as in match situations, so she’s going to be a big asset to us on and off the pitch.”
Dermody, who joined the club after playing in a pre-season friendly, has stepped down a level to become part of McNamara’s Northern Premier Division team.
But the 31-year-old Tamworth based PE teacher had no doubt that she was making the right move. “When I decided to leave Coventry,” she reveals, “our manager (Jay Bradford) suggested that I should think about Wolves.
“I spoke with Macca (McNamara) and he invited me to have a meeting at Molineux, then after enjoying a few training sessions and a pre-season friendly I put pen to paper – I was more than happy to sign.
“The players had been very welcoming, the staff had gone above and beyond to help me settle in and the facilities here for the women’s team are just brilliant – better than at some Championship clubs.”
Dermody is no stranger to the third tier of women’s football having played a key role in Coventry’s climb to promotion from the Southern Premier Division up to the Championship two years ago.
And she reckons that Wolves should have no problems in adapting to the Northern Premier after stepping up from Division 1 Midlands.
“One hundred per cent we can establish ourselves in the higher league,” she insists. “There’s a lot of talented players here who are plenty good enough for the Northern Premier, and I’m confident that we’ll be very competitive.”
